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9 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 7/2001
All Fijians should stay at home next Monday to show their support for a return to constitutional rule.
That is the call from a broadly-based democracy coalition in which the country's unions are playing a leading role.
The call by the Fiji First movement comes as the country's military-backed "interim administration" is seeking to overturn a pro-democracy court ruling.
The appeals court is due to begin hearing the regime's appeal against a high court judgement last November, which upheld the 1997 constitution. The high court therefore recognised the elected president and parliament who were in office prior to the coup staged last May by businessman George Speight.
Speight's coup was eventually thwarted, but instead of handing power back to the democratic parliament and government, the military imposed their own "interim administration".
Fiji First, which has called for Monday's stayaway, includes the Fiji's Blue movement. This is spearheaded by the Fijian trade unions, who have received strong backing from organised labour worldwide. Particular concern had been caused by the interim administration's moves to curb trade union rights.The political turmoil has also led to widespread job losses.
The restrictions on union rights have merely strengthened labour's resolve to back the democracy campaign, says Daniel Urai.
He is President of the FTUC and General Secretary of the Fiji Electricity Authority Staff Association, which is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). The ICEM has strongly backed the Fijian unions' democracy campaign.
For an interview with Urai, see ICEM UPDATE 80/2000.
As well as the unions, Fiji First includes employers' federations, civic rights groups and women's group.
Although the group is determined to keep the protests peaceful, the authorities may have opted for confrontation.
Yesterday, the Police Commissioner threatened to detain the Fiji First chairman, businessman Mick Beddoes. This follows Beddoes' release of a statement on 9 February, in which he called on "all citizens of Fiji, including school children, workers and businesses to STAY HOME AND INDOORS on Monday February 19th."
After Beddoes had been quizzed by the police, Fiji First Deputy Chairman Ratu Meli Vesikula stated yesterday: "I fully endorse and support the call of Mick Beddoes to all Fiji citizens to express their collective view by staying home, and I urge all employers to make arrangements for a skeleton crew but not penalise anyone who wants to express their support to our call for the immediate return to democratic rule."
That is the call from a broadly-based democracy coalition in which the country's unions are playing a leading role.
The call by the Fiji First movement comes as the country's military-backed "interim administration" is seeking to overturn a pro-democracy court ruling.
The appeals court is due to begin hearing the regime's appeal against a high court judgement last November, which upheld the 1997 constitution. The high court therefore recognised the elected president and parliament who were in office prior to the coup staged last May by businessman George Speight.
Speight's coup was eventually thwarted, but instead of handing power back to the democratic parliament and government, the military imposed their own "interim administration".
Fiji First, which has called for Monday's stayaway, includes the Fiji's Blue movement. This is spearheaded by the Fijian trade unions, who have received strong backing from organised labour worldwide. Particular concern had been caused by the interim administration's moves to curb trade union rights.The political turmoil has also led to widespread job losses.
The restrictions on union rights have merely strengthened labour's resolve to back the democracy campaign, says Daniel Urai.
He is President of the FTUC and General Secretary of the Fiji Electricity Authority Staff Association, which is affiliated to the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM). The ICEM has strongly backed the Fijian unions' democracy campaign.
For an interview with Urai, see ICEM UPDATE 80/2000.
As well as the unions, Fiji First includes employers' federations, civic rights groups and women's group.
Although the group is determined to keep the protests peaceful, the authorities may have opted for confrontation.
Yesterday, the Police Commissioner threatened to detain the Fiji First chairman, businessman Mick Beddoes. This follows Beddoes' release of a statement on 9 February, in which he called on "all citizens of Fiji, including school children, workers and businesses to STAY HOME AND INDOORS on Monday February 19th."
After Beddoes had been quizzed by the police, Fiji First Deputy Chairman Ratu Meli Vesikula stated yesterday: "I fully endorse and support the call of Mick Beddoes to all Fiji citizens to express their collective view by staying home, and I urge all employers to make arrangements for a skeleton crew but not penalise anyone who wants to express their support to our call for the immediate return to democratic rule."